No Room At the Inn
by SwatsALot
Summary: A glimpse of how True Blood might look if it were taken over by spankos. Godric is not a happy Maker and Eric can't seem to keep himself out of trouble. This is not a slash fic, just good old Maker/prodigy pack order yumminess with spanking thrown in.


No Room At the Inn

Disclaimer-I am only a humble, broke writer and nothing more, the show, books, and overall characters are not mine.

Background info-This is a story the amazing ficwriterjet and I co-colabarated on, she took on Eric while I wrote Godric. It's a story detailing the relationship between Godric and Eric from the True Blood books but also the show, and they are dancing to the beat of their own drums but not so OC that you'll run away screaming, I think. This is also a spanking fanfic, as anything I write will be in one way or another, so if you aren't down with that then I'd go ahead and leave now if I were you.

**# # #**

1850 America

Eric opened his eyes to the dark confines of the cellar. He could almost feel the sun sinking on the horizon. Godric was asleep beside him, so he closed his eyes again and thought about what the night would bring.

Tonight was going to be a busy night at the Inn, because the richest land owner in town was having a huge ball, and people from out of town were expected. Eric and his Maker had bought the Inn almost a year ago, and so far, it had been a perfect place to live.

They had enough strangers passing through to keep them fed, and no one in town had to be glamored to forget they'd been bitten. They had a small house a few feet from the main Inn where the two of them stayed during the day, and servants to run the Inn during the day.

He heard Godric stir beside him, and opened his eyes to greet him.

Slightly stretching his limbs Godric's eyes fluttered open and he looked over to see Eric's own staring at him; he smiled, "At least you managed to rest some despite your excitement."

He had sensed Eric's impatient eagerness over what was bound to be a very eventful evening to come since the night before.

"Am I so obvious?" Eric asked with a chuckle. "I can't help it. The thought of all those new and exotic people to meet and taste makes me eager."

He pushed himself up to stand, hunching over slightly to keep his head from hitting the low roof of the cellar.

"Remember, you cannot just think with your tongue Eric but also your head." Godric being the shorter of the two by some inches had no issue getting up from their makeshift bed, "Strangers bring more than fresh blood, they can also bring danger with them."

He rarely gave Eric such reminders anymore, considering the nearly nine hundred years they'd spent together, but Godric couldn't help but feel as if he needed to bring up some of the old key points again.

A little surprised at his Maker's serious tone, Eric lost his smile. "Yes, but we haven't had any trouble since being here, and I don't anticipate any tonight. You worry too much."

"At my age worry comes far easier than you think," Godric shook out the night shirt he'd worn, placed it aside and put on a fresh blouse, clean and crisp before he passed a comb through his wavy hair to style it neatly.

"And there is always a first time for everything, I wouldn't be surprised if this party draws out more than just our own kind. Drunken humans staggering about make easy prey for many creatures of the night."

While the smaller man's back was turned, Eric rolled his eyes. He seriously doubted there would be any trouble, and if there was, he knew they could handle it. But he didn't want to wreck the night before it had even begun, and decided it would be best to try and appease Godric by agreeing.

Eric pulled on his trousers and said, "You're right, of course. We'll both stay alert for danger tonight."

"When aren't I always right?"

Godric's rarely seen sense of humor made an appearance and he smiled, "Good-I am not going to keep you from having fun tonight Eric but I do not want you to lose your head either."

Turning around Godric saw Eric still somewhat bent over fastening his pants. A loud smack was heard when he gave Eric's bottom a crisp swat on his way past him, "No rolling your eyes."

The surprise swat startled him, and his body automatically tried jerking upright, causing him to bonk his head on the ceiling.

Putting one hand on his head and the other on his rear, he turned to Godric's retreating form and said, "But I..."

Catching himself in time, he decided denying it would not be the way to go when his Maker was already in a swatting mood. Instead he followed behind him and muttered, "How do you always know?"

Wearing half a smile Godric pulled himself up from the depths of the cellar and crouched on the floor.

He reached down with one hand into the darkened space to grasp Eric's right forearm and help him up, "I know your moods; when you believe that I am fussing at you, your eyes have a regular habit of feeling the need to roll themselves."

Once Godric had helped him up, and they were both standing on the main floor of their house, Eric said, "I suppose there could be some truth in that."

A large grin formed on his face, and he said, "Ready to go see if anyone has booked a room yet?"

Shutting and locking the trap door first, Godric straightened up and nodded, "I believe we should, and make sure the staff is handling the rush properly."

Godric was a stickler for neatness and order, whether that was in killing or in keeping an Inn.

They walked across the grounds together, and noticed two extra horses in the stables, indicating that at least one guest was already there.

The instant they walked through the back door of the Inn, Eric took the lead. He quickly found Matthew, the daytime manager, and asked for a report of the days activities.

"We already have three guests." Matthew said. "A single gentleman, and a married couple. They will all be attending the ball tonight, and are freshening up in their rooms."

"Excellent," Eric said.

For the next few minutes, Matthew reported on the extra staff they'd employed for the evening, and what had gone on during the day. After a full report, Eric glanced to Godric, making sure his face showed approval before dismissing Matthew for the evening.

Once Matthew was gone, Eric went over to the guest register to look at the names of their guests. While he was looking, he heard a carriage pulling up outside and said to Godric. "Sounds like more guests."

Despite his incredibly youthful features and body Godric could manage to look very old, even ancient when he was very focused in on something. He looked that way now, as well as unhappy and uneasy.

"Something is not-"

He wasn't given the opportunity finish his sentence when the front doors suddenly burst open to reveal two tall men with the same number of beautiful, hauntingly beautiful at that, women walking in on their arms.

The coupled pairs looked around the front of the inn in a way that put Godric immediately on the defensive.

He'd seen all manner of dangerous evils over the past two millennium and these four, despite their beauty and clean cut appearances, triggered something deep inside of him.

Whirling around on his heels Godric gripped Eric's left wrist and pulled him off to the side with strength that just didn't match his short stature and weight.

"Go and send them away," was his tense order to Eric, hissed only so loud as for him to hear, "I do not care where, but tell them we have no vacant rooms left, they must go elsewhere to spend the night."

Caught off guard by the sudden change in his Maker's tone and demeanor, Eric looked over at the people who'd just arrived. They looked perfectly fine to him, and to top it off they looked wealthy. One woman looked especially tasty, and Eric didn't want to start turning people away, just because Godric was overly concerned about the possibility of trouble.

He frowned and hissed back, "Why? We have plenty of room!"

"You heard what I said Eric," Godric's tone of voice was very determined and firm, "I am not up to discussing this with you, I have told you what you are to do, now go and get rid of them. Right now!"

Eric's eyes opened wide in surprise at Godric's fierce last two words. He hadn't heard that tone in quite some time, and he moved to obey without pause.

Turning to the customers, he plastered a pleasant smile on his face, and said, "I'm very sorry to say, we have no more rooms available at this time. There is another Inn five miles down the road."

One of the men stepped forward and said, "No rooms? Surly you jest Sir."

Scowling at having to turn them away, Eric said, "I'm very sorry Sir, but there are no rooms for you tonight."

The two men in the group shared a look. The first one turned back to Eric and said, "We'll pay triple the going rate."

Gritting his teeth, Eric said, "The rooms are already spoken for. I do apologize for the inconvenience."

The two men exchanged a glance again, and then the first man said, "Very well. We'll try down the road."

Once they had exited the building, Eric turned to Godric with a glare and said quietly, "Want to tell me why we just missed out on triple the going rate?"

Godric held up his right hand immediately to quiet Eric, his ears twitching as he listened for the sound of a buggy being sent on its way.

The soft whiny of horses being urged to trot on and spinning wheels crunching gravel a minute later signaled that they were leaving and Godric relaxed, a little bit.

"No good would have come from them staying here, no matter how much they paid us," he told Eric and then titled his head at the glare, "You have no reason to cast such a look at me."

Unable to maintain eye contact, Eric directed his glare at the floor instead. "You can't know that for sure. They might not have caused any trouble at all."

"I was sure enough that I wished to take no chances one way or the other. I do not know who they are but I do know what they aren't, which is human, and they could not be trusted."

Godric then sighed, "And I should not have to explain myself to you Eric; you know whenever I do or say something it is because I believe it is for the best."

He whisked Eric away to a corner then, turned him round and landed five swats, backed by his vampire strength, against the seat of Eric's britches, "I have grown tired of your back speak this evening, I shall hear no more. When I tell you to do something you do it; we have gone over this enough times."

Godric scolded Eric firmly and landed a few more swats for good measure before he released Eric, "Am I understood?"

Eric had known what was about to happen as soon as he heard Godric sigh, but that didn't make it any easier to stifle the small whimpers and yelps that came from his throat with each hard smack. His face flushed with embarrassment at the scold.

They had been over this many times, and he was somewhat ashamed of himself for needing such a strong reminder tonight, even if he still didn't agree with Godric's decision.

When he was released, he turned towards the smaller man, but kept his head bowed. "Yes, Father," he said, trying to show both respect and affection with the use of the familial term. "You are understood, and I apologize."

Godric's face softened at the term Eric usually only used when he was duly chastised, or needy, and he reached up with one hand so as to lift Eric's chin and see his face, "Your need for discipline has decreased over the years and for that I am, and I know you are as well, glad. But regardless of however many years you grow older Eric you shall remain my child and if necessary you will be put back over my knee to be reminded of your place."

With that Godric patted Eric's flushed right cheek with the palm of the very hand that had just swatted him, "I forgive you, now let us forget all about this and get back to work. There will be plenty more customers who will make up for our earlier loss."

Eric grimaced at the thought of being put over Godric's lap again. It hadn't happened in quite a few years, and he had no desire to repeat the experience. Leaning into the gentle touch on his cheek, and soaking up the words of forgiveness, Eric said quietly, "Thank you."

One of the kitchen staff came into the main lobby, and called to Eric. "Back to work it is," he said, before walking over to see what the person needed.

For the next couple of hours they were both busy checking in new customers, arranging meals for some, bathing water for others, and fresh horses for one couple.

As the evening progressed, Eric became more and more preoccupied with thoughts of what had happened earlier. He couldn't stop thinking about Godric's insistence that the people they'd turned away were dangerous. Eric simply didn't believe that they had been a threat, human or not, and kept feeling the urge to prove it.

He also found himself thinking about being Godric's child forever, no matter how old he got. On the one hand there was security and comfort in that thought, but on the other hand, the idea of never being his own man made him bristle.

By the time the last room was booked, Eric had talked himself into being resentful at the constraints Godric placed on him, though he did everything in his power to keep that to himself.

When the first carriage pulled away, headed towards the ball, Eric turned to Godric and said respectfully, "As soon as things quiet down here, would it be alright with you if I attended the party, too?"

Counting out a stack of coins and marking the count on a ledger, Godric looked up from his work and thought over his son's request for a minute or two; normally he didn't like letting Eric out of his sight with so much activity going on around them.

Eric was a strong vampire but there were plenty more powerful than him and only Godric had the power to fight them off without risking certain death, but then again he knew he had been rather strict with him and what was a few hours to let the child have some fun.

Finally Godric nodded, putting aside his generally overprotective way of thinking, "You may go; but I expect you back no later than one o'clock and be careful, if you see anything amiss I do not want you to try and take it on by yourself; I know how you are Eric so I am trusting you to behave as if I were there watching you."

His jaw clenched at the curfew and the admonishment, but forced a smirk on his face and said, "I'll be too busy tasting and bedding the first woman that looks my way to get into trouble. But to put your mind, I promise not to get into any trouble."

Godric gave Eric a look, "That's where your troubles often start-with a woman." Shaking his head the old vampire waved Eric on out of the inn, "Go on, before I regain my senses and change my mind."

Giving Godic a small nod, Eric left.

**# # #**

It was a beautiful night, with millions of twinkling stars, and a small sliver of a moon. Eric walked away from the main road at human speed, and once he was behind some trees, he flew up into the night sky.

A few minutes later he could see the bright lanterns and torches that lit the long driveway to the main house. Eric circled the main house a couple of times looking for anything suspicious. Finding nothing wrong, he flew over the stables, the carriage house, and finally the house one more time. He went to the back of the house, and landed. He had been invited, but didn't want to come through the front and be announced.

He'd been to this house a few times, and most of the servants knew him, and greeted him pleasantly when he walked through the kitchen. In the main room, music was playing, and people were dancing. He scanned the room, looking for the four people he'd turned away, but didn't see them.

Disappointed he turned to check the front of the house, and bumped directly into a woman. He automatically caught her arm so she wouldn't fall backwards, and looked her up and down. She was tall for a woman, with blond hair and an expensive looking red dress. He decided looking for the strangers could wait until after he'd fed. He gave her his most charming smile and said, "Excuse me Miss, I didn't see you there."

"So it seems," she snipped shortly; readying to wrench her arm free from the boorish male she glanced up and looked into Eric's eyes. They captivated her with their sparkle and shine, she'd never seen a man with such beautiful eyes before, and the rest of his face wasn't too bad to look at either.

"It's alright.." she spoke softer then, smiling, "No harm done."

He let go of her arm, and gave her a slight bow. "Would you do me the honor of dancing the next waltz with me?"

In response to his bow she curtsied elegantly and then nodded, "I will." She held out her right hand to him so that he could escort her out onto the dance floor.

He guided her into position among the other dancers, and as soon as the music started, he moved them gracefully across the floor, touching her lightly. He noted that she was a superb dancer, and said, "You must be from out of town. I'm positive I would remember a face as pretty as yours if I'd seen it before."

She smiled coyly, "You do flatter me kind sir." Twirling around on the polished floor she never once looked away from his face or eyes, "I arrived earlier this week; I am here on holiday from London visiting my aunt and uncle."

"How lucky for me," he said. He found her eye contact refreshing. Most of the human women he met, couldn't seem to keep eye contact for long. He wasn't sure if they were frightened of him, or if they were just shy, but he liked bold women. "How long will you be staying?"

"It was planned I only stay for two weeks but-if I were to be given a reason to stay longer that could be arranged." She smiled a pretty white smile, "My name is Pam."

Often she found herself in the company of handsome young men for her to toy about with but this one seemed different. Smarter, older in some way, and certainly far more attractive than any man she'd ever come across so far.

He found her especially beautiful when she smiled.

"How rude of me to sweep you onto the dance floor without an an introduction. My name is Eric Northman, and I own the Inn on the south side of town. It's very nice to meet you Pam."

"Ah, so you are the inn keeper that group came in complaining about earlier. They said you rudely refused them service."

As the music died down into soft slow strains of classical music their dancing came to a full stop.

"It is a shame I have no need for a room myself-then you could service me." Her voice was sweet and young but her intentions were anything but.

He was pleased to hear that the people he'd refused had been there, and apparently hadn't caused any problems. He would enjoy mentioning that to Godric.  
>But he was even more pleased with Pam's innuendo. When the music stopped, he took her hand in his, and kissed the back of it. Keeping the hand, he looked into her eyes and said, "I would enjoy serving you any time."<p>

He let go, and held out an elbow for her. "If you'd like to get some fresh air, I'd be happy to show you the grounds."

Not bashful in the slightest, despite her mother's puritan like efforts to keep her a holy, wholesome gal, Pam's smile grew and she took hold of Eric's elbow, "I would be delighted to get a tour. This party has bored me and I am in the mood to be entertained."

Catching looks from her two cousins she'd come to the party with Pam first glared at them and then ignored them and went along with Eric.

He led her out the front door, and they walked down a little path that would take them to the back of the house. It was a long trail that went all the way around the landowner's apple orchard. There were other couples walking along the same path, and Eric planned to take Pam off the path, when they got far enough down. To pass the time until they got there, he said, "Are your aunt and uncle here this evening?"

"Bite your tongue sir, do you think they would allow me, a proper young lady to wander off into the night with a stranger?"

Pam chuckled, holding up the bottom skirt of her swishy gown with her left hand, "They are not the type to enjoy such a event; but they did send along their two watch dogs, my cousins Edith and Winifred, to annoy me."

Truly amused by her disdain, Eric chuckled. "What will your aunt and uncle say when your cousins tell them of your scandalous behavior?"

"Probably force me to pray twice as long as usual," Pam looked up at Eric, "Though I prefer to call out to God in my own special way."

He wrapped one large hand around her tiny waist, pulled her in closer, and whispered in her ear, "I'd prefer to hear you call out my name."

Pam's eyes glowed big and bright and deviantly, "Only if you earn the right."

She placed one hand on his chest not noticing the lack of body heat or nonexistent heart beat, "Perhaps we should go some place quiet?"

Eric could glamour humans to do whatever he wanted, but he always found it more enjoyable to try and make them come with him of their own free will.

Inordinately pleased with this particular human, Eric said, "Up ahead there is a bend in the trail. If we go the opposite way, and into the woods, I know of a quiet little spot where no one will bother us."

"Then lead the way," Pam offered willingly; she normally wasn't this bold, certainly not with a man she'd just met. Sure she often teased and left them panting and wanting more but this Eric had something about him she found quite arousing.

Picking up his step, he led them off the trail, making sure no one saw them or followed. When they stepped into the cover of trees, Eric's grip tightened around her waist, ready to support her if she tripped in the dark. A few minutes later, they were in a small clearing, only large enough for two people to lie down comfortably.

He turned towards her, leaned down and started kissing her neck just below her right ear.

Pam held her head up and angled to one side, her pale, milky white soft skin lightly perfumed and blemish free. She shut her eyes feeling his teasing kisses and smiled, "You are very gentle sir-"

"I can be," he said, and trailed one finger along her skin near the edge of her bodice. He stopped and waited for her to make eye contact again. When she opened her eyes, he looked deeply into them and said, "When I kiss you, you won't notice how cold I am."

Without waiting for a response, he kissed her on the mouth. While they kissed, he gently lowered both of them down to the grass and leaves.

Pam's body responded as her mind went murky and numb; something seemed wrong, seemed off somehow but yet desirable anyway. She felt incredibly hot despite being pressed down against the chilled earth. She didn't care her brand new and expensive dress was being ruined while resting on the wet vegetation.

Pam felt Eric's mouth traveling closer and closer to where her jugular vein pumped and pulsated in her neck and thought nothing of feeling sharp teeth nipping at it.

It all felt so natural; until his fangs sunk down into her flesh, clamping tight.

She opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out, could come out; her eyes were wide with the whites swallowing up her pupils.

**# # #**

The grandfather clock in the far right corner of the inn's lobby struck twelve o'clock, startling Godric whose thoughts had been preoccupied with other matters.

He glanced over at it as it gonged the hour and then he felt a sudden chill hit him. It unsettled him and he frowned but soon convinced himself that if he continued on so he would become jumpy at the sight of his own shadow. Godric shook his head and walked off to get some more work done; keeping busy meant less time to think, which was a good thing on a night like tonight.

**# # #**

Caught up in his bloodlust, Eric drank until Pam had passed out. Her heart still beat, but only faintly. He growled in frustration at his own lack of self-discipline. He'd bit her neck, where the wound would be obvious to anyone that looked at her.

He knew better, but feeling her pulse under his lips had been too much. Not only that, but he'd intended to have sex with her first, but her blood had tasted too good to stop. He had no doubt that she would be an excellent companion in bed, if she were conscious to participate.

He desperately wanted the chance to spend more time with her, but doubted that would ever happen if he let her go home tonight. Feeling possessive, he sank his teeth back into her, and drained her dry. He bit his own wrist, forced her mouth open, and made sure a good deal of his blood slipped down her throat. Once it was done he gently kissed her slack lips and said, "Mine."

Pushing himself up onto his knees, he picked her up, and was about to fly home with her, when he suddenly remembered the promise he'd made to Godric before he left. Frowning down at the dead body in his arms, he thought seriously about what he'd done. Pam's cousins had watched her leave with him. He was well known in town. If she didn't come home, they would come looking for him at the Inn.

`What if Godric won't let me keep her?' he thought. Godric could very well stake her before she could arise for the first time.

That thought made him hold her closer to his chest. He wouldn't let that happen.

His mind rushed with thoughts of how to fix this mess, and within moments he had a plan. He flew up into the air with Pam in his arms, and went deeper into the woods. Using super human speed and strength, he dug a hole to bury her in. Laying her down gently, he covered her with dirt, and then flew back to the  
>party.<p>

Dusting himself off, before entering, he asked the first person he bumped into if they had seen Edith and Winifred. As soon as he found them, he said, "Ladies, I'm afraid your cousin Pam isn't feeling well. She's in the carriage out front, and would like to go home."

The two concerned young women followed Eric out. The instant they were alone, he glamoured them to trust him. Within the hour, they'd taken him home, and invited him inside.

He ruthlessly snapped their necks as soon as he was in the house, and then made short work of Pam's aunt and uncle. Just before he left the house, he noticed the clock on the wall and cringed. It was ten minutes past one in the morning.

He flew back to Pam, dug up the dirt, lay down next to her, and covered them both up. Unable to sleep, he laid thinking of his Maker, and what his reaction was going to be to all of this.

**# # #**

The staff knew Godric was Eric's ward, obviously due to his young age, but the way he barked orders at them was in no way reminiscent of any teenager or even older adult they'd ever known.

Nearly everyone felt as if they'd just been grounded by their father when Godric told them all to stay put inside the inn and not dare step a foot outside or let anyone else come inside for any reason, whatsoever, or else.

His eyes has just barely kept from glowing inhumanly while he ensured the inn would remain locked up as tightly as possible by those in his employ. The last thing he bloody well needed was a full on massacre to occur because one of his naive humans decided to open the door politely for a complete stranger.

He should have never let him go; why oh why did he allow his son's moods to get to him so, still after all these centuries. He wanted Eric to be happy and not feel like he was merely Godric's enslaved creation he refused to let anyone else play with; the old vampire knew that's how it had all started out if he was honest with himself.

Seeing Eric's warrior skills in battle impressed him, he knew he'd make a very vicious, cruel and calculating vampire killer and they could have eons of the best times slaughtering freely.

But before Godric had realized what was happening their relationship grew and developed into something much, much more than he'd ever thought possible.

He not only came to care for Eric as his vampire progeny but he came to love him as his son; Godric could barely remembered his own human parents, having been snatched away from them when he was just eight years old.

Only with them had he ever felt the love and care of a parent and that had been so fleeting. He never saw himself the fatherly type, he didn't know how to be. But Eric showed him things inside of himself Godric hadn't known existed, and he came to be the most precious possession in the ancient vampire's life.

Were he to lose his Eric he'd be lost, as good as staked.

Eric had not defied a curfew set upon him in over two hundred years, something had to have gone wrong; something had to be keeping him away, or someone.

Stepping out into the back woods behind the inn where the trees shielded him from any snooping passersby, Godric opened his arms wide and looked up at the sky. His feet lifted off the ground and he hovered as if invisible wires had been attached to him.

His eyes glowed, his fangs appeared and as if he'd been sucked back into the blackness of night the mighty vampire took off through the trees with so much forceful power he splintered into pieces those which he flew through without bothering to go around them, his one track mind focused only on finding his boy before it was too late.

**# # #**

The longer Eric lay next to Pam, the more anxious he became. Not only had he broken the curfew Godric had imposed on him, but he'd also killed people in their town. They might be forced to move. And now he was childishly hiding from his Maker, but he refused to give up Pam, and had no idea how Godric would react to her.

Knowing Godric would be more worried than angry at this point made Eric ashamed of himself.

He loved Godric like a father.

Actually the love he had for Godric was much deeper than the love he'd had for his biological father. He dreaded the thought of damaging their bond, but he couldn't change what he'd already done.

He wished he could speed the process up, and make Pam wake up, but it took as long as it took, so he stayed next to her and waited.

Godric crunched dry, brittle fallen branches under his feet when he landed in the middle of the forest, having been drawn there by his senses.

"Eric?" his voice called out with a hint of worry and a touch of suspicion both added to it; he realized his son was hiding from him. Eric never hid; except when he had done something very, very questionable.

"Eric." Godric now sounded determined, "Show yourself to me," he ordered.

Having sensed Godric before he heard him, Eric started to panic. He berated himself for thinking he could hide from him for any length of time.

When Godric called him the first time, he hugged Pam closer, and refused to answer. When Godric ordered him to show himself, he reluctantly let her go, and pushed himself up out of the dirt, knowing her fate was now in Godric's hands.

He stepped away from the freshly disturbed dirt, and shook himself off. He found it impossible to make eye contact, and had no idea what to say anyway, so he stood still and remained awkwardly silent.

Godric looked at the tall figure before him dirty and dusty and he seemed to be honestly confused.

"What were.."

Then it hit him, what Eric had gotten up out of, it'd been a grave. The old vampire hissed in instant realization.

He pushed past by his guilty child and looked down into the shallow pit in the ground. Seeing Pam's limp, lifeless body partly covered up with earth, Godric's face was aghast.

And then he was mad with fury.

"What have you done!" he demanded of Eric in Swedish even.

Taking a step backwards, and switching to his native tongue as well, Eric said, "I… I wanted her, so I turned her."

Godric's rage elevated at Eric's childish explanation and the short vampire advanced on him growling.

"What could have crossed your mind to believe you ever had the right to turn her, regardless if you wanted her or not!"

He grabbed Eric and wrenched him over his knee, there was no way he could just stand around and discuss this, he needed to hit something and Eric's bottom was the perfect target at the moment.

Godric's hand walloped his son's backside with vengeance, "I cannot believe you would be so foolish..so carelessly led astray by your emotions! Do you have any idea what you have done? What we must now do about her!"

Horrified, but not really surprised to be tossed over the older man's knee, Eric yelped out, "Ow!" at the first swat, but then clenched his jaw shut.

Godric's stinging words sunk into his brain, making him even more ashamed than he had been before. He had been foolish. He had let his emotions get in the way. He didn't have the right to turn her. But Godric's last words were the worst.

Eric yelled out, "Please Father! Please don't kill her before she arises. I beg you."

"What other choice have you left me with," Godric's voice was full of disappointment, "She is most likely locally known and her family will surely be looking for her once they realize she's gone missing Eric, and we cannot hide her out in the open."

The continued smacks to his backside made it difficult to speak in complete sentences, or explain himself fully. And the disappointment in Godric's voice made him want to cry. "No Father, they won't! I killed them! I killed her family."

From bad to worse Godric's hand stilled at that bit of information; his son had lost his mind at some point, that was the only way such erratic behavior could be explained.

"You..you killed them?"

Effortlessly he picked Eric up from off his knee and stood him back on his feet; Godric lifted and held Eric's chin straight and steady, looking at him hard, "Where are their bodies? Did you bury them?"

When he looked into Godric's eyes, tears spilled down Eric's face. Not wanting to admit to yet another mistake, he said, "Not yet?"

Holding his hands up in a placating gesture so he could explain, he said, "Pam, the woman I turned, is from England. She's here visiting her aunt and uncle. She came to the party with her two cousins, and they saw me take her for a walk. So after I… lost control, I went back to the party found the cousins, and told them Pam wasn't feeling well. I glamoured them to let me into their house, and killed all of them before coming back here."

He sank to his knees and said, "I'm so sorry Father. For everything."

Godric shut his eyes as if in prayer, his intense feelings of rage no longer could be sustained because he knew he didn't have time to be angry or scream or spank his son within a inch of his undead life.

He had to fix things, and fix them as soon as he could or else they were going to have to pack up as quickly as possible and flee before sunrise and the pitchforked armed townspeople came after them.

"You hold onto to your sorries for you shall need them later," Godric grounded out in his quiet way.

He yanked Eric up from his knees to stand, "Take her body back to the house and bury her there; make sure no one sees you or her since you seem to have forgotten every single thing I have taught you about hunting."

Godric peered at Eric sternly, "I am going to go and clean up your mess and hopefully no one will be the wiser or will learn of all of what you have done."

He spun Eric round and smacked his bottom harder than he ever had before, "Now go!"

"Ah!" Eric yelled at the intense pain of that one swat, and put both hands back to cover his butt.

He couldn't remember Godric having ever hit him so hard. That had been a bruising blow, and though his body would heal itself within minutes, the harder Godric hit, the longer it would take him to heal. And knowing he'd deserved it made the whole thing more humiliating.

He immediately went to Pam, and pulled her out from the dirt. He held her close, and flew towards home without looking back at his Maker.

He tried to console himself with thoughts of Pam. Since Godric hadn't sent him home alone, he doubted she would be killed, and he did still want her, but he couldn't find any comfort in that right now. All he could feel was shame at what he'd done, anxiety about what Godric would do, and anger at himself for being such an idiot.

When he made it home, he made sure no one was around to see him land. He carried Pam into the house, went down to the cellar, and dug a shallow grave for her in the dirt floor. After covering her up, he went back up to the main floor, and washed the dirt off his hands and face. Once he was done, he had nothing to do, but wait for his irate father to come home and take him to task for the unbelievably poor choices he'd made that night.

He paced the house, waiting for Godric, and wishing he could go back and do this night over again.

**# # #**

Godric sought out the house of Pam's now deceased relatives with ease following Eric's lingering scent in the air. Stealthily he entered and found the dead bodies with a disgusted look on his face.

What had Eric been thinking? Except that he obviously hadn't been.

Knowing there was only way one for him to cover up the murders without anyone suspecting foul play Godric flew out into the night in search of a woman that would match Pam's height and weight.

A sickly whore he came across down by the docks, used up by the local seamen and life, ended up his final choice. He took her life quickly and without pain and then brought her back to the house.

Godric positioned the family members, with the whore standing in as Pam, in their beds and then set the upstairs of the house on fire.

He watched as the paper thin wooden walls were engulfed within seconds, the bedrooms immediately filled with smoke and then the searing hot flames licked their way up to the beds which soon became the five bodies' funeral pyres.

Watching from the other side of the street Godric looked on as the interior of the house collapsed in on itself once the support beams gave way. There would be nothing left but ashes and perhaps a bit of bone if that, displaced by the fire that would remove all trace of Eric's presence; a sad end but at least one that allowed him to save his child.

As neighbors began to huddle around, screams of horror and grief erupting out from the groups of people helpless to do anything to help or put out the fire, Godric passed through the crowd unseen and once he reached a dark alley way he flew up into the night's sky and headed for home.

He removed his coat and walked inside the front room, his face quiet but his eyes were burning. "Eric?" he called out softly.

Eric halted mid step in his pacing. With a heavy heart, he walked out of the never used bedroom, and into the front room. He forced himself to walk all the way over to stand directly in front of Godric, and look into his eyes.

"I know I'm too old to make messes like the one I made tonight, and I'm ashamed that you had to go clean it up for me, but I'm grateful that you're still willing to do it."

"You mindlessly turned a young girl, taking her away from the only life she has ever known, a life she can no longer go back to. You killed her family in one of the sloppiest ways I have ever seen and didn't even give a thought to cleaning up after yourself."

Godric draped his coat over the back of a chair, "Eric there is but one reason why I took care of things for you tonight."

The old vampire stared at Eric clearly, his face seemed heavy with disappointment but also relief in some way, "You are my son; even a night like tonight does nothing to still my love for you and my want and need to protect you. One night's horrible mistakes cannot do away with over nine hundred years you have been at my side, and as long as I can make it so you will remain at my side."

Tears slipped down Eric's face with the words of love. He felt he didn't much deserve them, especially after having snubbed all of Godric's teachings tonight. "I love you too Father. More than I can express."

Godric stepped up closer to the humbled, hurting young vampire and he wiped away a bloody tear or two, "I do not deny you have angered me, greatly, tonight Eric. But I also know that you did not intentionally mean for any of this to happen."

He then dusted off one of Eric's shoulders, almost smiling at the memory of the absurd sight from earlier.

"You are filthy," he shook his head, "And I smell of smoke. I think it is best that we both take a moment to clean up, and once you are done come and meet me in the parlor room."

His eyes glowed, "Do not bother dressing your bottom after and bring the paddle with you."

Blanching at that order, Eric bowed slightly and choked out, "Yes, Father."

He turned and went to his bedroom. Each had their own room, and while neither of them slept in the beds during the day, they did keep their clothes and other personal items in there.

He quickly stripped off all of his clothes, and started washing himself with the clean water from the pitcher that sat on his dresser. He washed his hair last, and then poured the dirty water left in the bowl out his bedroom window.

Once he was clean, his hand hovered over one of his nightshirts. Once it was on, it would hang almost to his knees, which would cover his bottom. Not wanting to further anger Godric, Eric decided to put on a regular shirt instead, leaving his lower half naked.

Keeping his head down, he walked into the kitchen and got the paddle out of the bottom drawer.

He loathed the implement.

It hadn't been used on him for many years. He remembered telling Godric that they should get rid of it when they'd moved into this house. Godric had not agreed, and even made sure the damn thing had its own drawer so they would both always know where it was at any given moment.

Eric shuddered at its weight, and closed the drawer a little harder than necessary before turning and heading to the parlor with it.

Godric's mouth formed a tiny smile hearing Eric's petulant drawer slam echo out of the kitchen.

Dressed comfortably in pair of soft slacks and a cotton shirt, so as to allow him to move around freely, his eyes followed Eric once he'd entered the room.

Silently Godric's put out his right hand for the paddle he'd had made, especially, to tend to his boy's bottom, after one too many broken hairbrushes had been made into kindling.

Eric handed it over, and upon seeing it in Godric's hand, felt the urgent need to apologize again. "I'm very sorry Father."

"I've no doubt you are," Godric tucked the paddle away beside him so he could take, turn, and tug Eric down over his waiting lap, "I also have no doubt that you will be lucky to see the outside of this house or our Inn for the next ten years."

With shirt sleeve rolled up to keep it out of his way, Godric flipped up the tail end of Eric's short to fully uncover his pale white cheeks, "I have spanked you for disobedience before, I have spanked you for not coming home at the proper hour, and I have spanked you for thinking you can do whatever you please without getting my permission first. But never have I had cause to spank you for all 'three' in one night Eric."

Godric's hand snapped against his son's bottom, the imprint of his hand flashed across both cheeks in light pink before vanishing. He repeated the strike again, and then again, "And all this over a female..you behaved like a sex starved teenager tonight."

Eric whimpered at Godric's emphasis on the word `three'. A spanking for one of those things was awful all by itself, but a spanking for all of those things done in one night was going to be unbearable.

Most of the time Eric appreciated his body's ability to heal itself, but not when he was over his Maker's knee, because it meant the punishment could go on until he was an emotional wreck, without any lasting damage to his body.

Eric's body twitched at the first swat, and a muffled sound of pain came from his throat. When Godric called him a `sex starved teenager', Eric clenched his jaw and tried not to make any more sounds.

"If you have been wanting a mate I could have helped you look for one-you know I will give you whatever you desire, within reason," Godric's hand switched back and forth, moving side to side, cheek to cheek, "I do not know what got into you tonight Eric, but mark my words it will never make another appearance."

His hand began to move faster, not allowing his child's vampire healing to keep up with the smacks he was landing; Eric's bottom really began to take on color then, and lots of it.

Eric's body betrayed him and started moving in response to the spanking. His butt clenched and moved forward trying to get away from the pain. His toes curled on the floor, in an effort not to kick. He crossed his arms on the floor in front of him, and lay his forehead on top of them to help keep them in place.

He muttered sullenly to the floor, "I wasn't looking for a mate, it just happened." A high-pitched whine came out of his throat when the swats came faster.

"Just happened.." Godric repeated within an edged voice of restrained displeasure, "You think that is any better? That you just happened to turn that girl despite having no intentions of even wanting to be her mate or her Maker?"

He wrapped his left arm around Eric's waist and he pulled him closer to his body, lifting the young vampire's hips so that every single swat landed squarely across the sensitive flesh that usually creased between his cheeks and thighs.

"What you have just admitted to is complete irresponsibility Eric, and I know I did not raise you to think so casually about such things. I still am not even sure you deserve to keep her. How can I trust you now to do what is best for her when you've behaved like a naughty little boy of ten years old? Thinking only of yourself and not of me, or my rules, or of how your decision affected that girl."

His words did nothing to throw off his rhythm and Godric followed every single wiggle of Eric's bottom with his hard hand smacking against it crisply.

The shift of position, combined with the swats landing lower, caused Eric's legs to start kicking. Tears of shame and embarrassment became tears of pain. He found it difficult to censor his words, or form complete sentences.

"Ow! Father please! She's mine. Ah! I am her Maker! You think I won't… Ooww! … do right by her now? You've… Aaah! …lost all faith in me?"

He craned his neck around to try and see Godric's expression.

"Lost all faith, no-but I fail to see how your actions tonight were meant to prove you are responsible to care for another life just yet," Godric rested his hand on Eric's bottom, "You made her without thinking ahead Eric, at all; what are your plans now? How are we going to hide the fact that she is still alive when the whole town now believes she and her family have perished in a fire? If she is to live then we will have to leave here; it wouldn't be fair to her to keep her locked up in the cellar for fear of someone seeing her and recognizing who she is."

Grateful for the slight reprieve, Eric listened to Godric. "I don't know if we'll have to move or not. We can ask Pam how many people she's met here in town so far. She hasn't even been here a week, so probably not many. She can stay hidden for a couple of months, and then we can change her appearance, and introduce her as someone else."

Needing to be completely honest, even if it upset Godric further, Eric turned back to the floor and said quietly, "And I wouldn't want any vampire I created to be a child forever. We're not alike in that way, Father. I… I usually enjoy being you child forever. Even now, bare assed over you knee being punished, I don't want independence. But I will expect my progeny to be responsible for her own life after a decade or so. It will be her choice to stay with me or not. I think that's part of why I wanted her so badly. She was bold, and independent, making her own decisions no matter what those around her thought."

Godric's face was sad, a lonely looking smile forming at Eric's words, his worst fears being voiced honestly, "Even if we could hide her Eric, we would still need to move; at least you would."

He spoke in his quiet way as usual but pain was behind his words, "If you do want to keep her and enjoy her company it would be best for the two of you to go away together, at least for a little while. I would not be able to run the Inn as I am so I would go too, but there is much out there I have yet to see and do. I would like to keep you by my side always if I could; but I cannot be so selfish as to ignore what happened tonight. It is time I allow you some freedom to live on your own and with this new mate you've made for yourself."

His hand stroked over Eric's bare hindquarters gently, "You will always be my child, but you also have your own needs, you always have; it is time you indulged in them."

Eric started shaking his head well before Godric was done talking. As Godric was speaking the last sentence, Eric wrapped both his arms around Godric's calves to cling, and started sobbing brokenly.

A part of him wanted to beg Godric not to leave him. That same part wanted to tell Godric he'd changed his mind, and he didn't want Pam after all. But another stronger part of him couldn't let Pam be killed now that he'd made her. Thinking of being without Godric for any length of time made him physically ill.

He wailed, "I don't want to be separated from you!"

Godric knew he had installed this level of dependency in Eric for so many centuries, though he had really gone off of the child's own needs when he'd first met him. But when most Makers were sending their progenies off to all corners of the Earth once they became bored with them, he had done the exact opposite; he intended to keep, raise, and love Eric until either or both of them were dust and ash.

He would allow nothing or no one to harm or hurt his child and the few that had dared tried found themselves facing his full wrath, a beyond horrible sight that no nightmare could ever conjure up.

"Hush.."

Godric abandoned the role of disciplinarian for now and he drew up Eric's body, settling his frame on his lap, his arms surrounding the boy so very distraught and distressed.

"Listen to me-" he soothingly stroked one of Eric's blood tear trailed cheeks, "You will never fully be separated from me, but something inside of you responded to this girl; how many women have you drank from over the centuries and killed without a second thought? Something is unique, special about her and you enjoyed her company. Now it has come time for you to enjoy the outside world with a partner."

At first, Eric felt immensely comforted at being upright and in Godric's arms. Hearing that he would never be fully separated from the man that meant everything to him relieved some of his immediate fears, but that left him with guilt and sorrow.

Guilt that he wanted companionship from someone other than Godric, guilt that he'd forced this upon the both of them, and sorrow that things were about to change. Because it was true, Pam was different. He'd killed tens of thousands of women without a thought, but when it came to Pam, he'd turned her without a thought.

Eric hunched himself over so he could rest his head in the crook of Godric's neck, and didn't even try to stop the tears that continued to fall.

"But what about you? You'll be lonely. I can't bear the thought of that, especially if I'm the cause."

Godric did not even hesitate and his hand dealt five, stinging sharp blows to Eric's tender enough bottom to be felt down deep inside of the flesh, "You will not harbor guilt over what is my decision," he said sternly, "I will miss you, and I will also come and see you from time to time but I also know that you need this. I would be a very selfish Maker if I were to keep you all to myself now."

Eric's head shot up, and he yelped a loud "Ooow!" at the swats, while squirming.

He did still feel guilty, but wasn't idiotic enough to say it out loud after that. Instead he put his head back where it had been, wiped at his face with the backs of his hands, and said, "Promise you'll come to visit?"

Unable to help smiling then, Godric rubbed and patted Eric's bare left hip, "Do you think I could keep away from you for very long?"

His arms hugged Eric closer, binding him tightly, "You could have a thousand progenies, but you will forever be my only son."

He quietly sighed after a minute of silence, wishing he could hold onto his boy forever, but Eric deserved to live a life separate from him, he was certainly old enough now.

That still didn't make it very easy on the old vampire to accept, just yet, but there were more pressing matters for them to deal with right then.

Gently he lifted up Eric's chin, "We have not finished your punishment yet," he told him with a rather serious expression on his face.

Eric had taken comfort in Godric's hug, and been fortified by his words of love, but now he tensed at the mention of punishment. He'd doubted it was over, but he'd wondered if the impending change in their relationship would mean a change in this too.

He hated being spanked, but tonight he would hate not getting spanked even more. There was comfort in consistency, especially when drastic changes were looming.

"I know."

"I told you no matter what you'd never get too old to go across my knee and I meant that," Godric told him as if he was reading Eric's mind; but he knew him well enough to know what he was thinking in situations like this.

"And you certainly earned a lengthy stay tonight," he lifted and flipped Eric with ease as if he was half his actual size, "The rules that I have taught you over all these years Eric were to keep your safe and out of trouble; if I am to release you then I must know you won't end up getting yourself, or her, killed in the first week because you did not think things through."

Taking a whole new grip on Eric's body, Godric picked up the paddle by its long handle; the thick slab of wood cracked across the middle of Eric's cheeks and just as the burn began to set in he laid two more swats in the exact same spot.

The paddle danced from one side to the next, evenly covering the quivering round globes with mighty strikes that fell one after the other without ceasing.

"Oooow Father!"

The pain was immediate, and intense, pushing any rational thoughts out of Eric's head. His legs kicked frantically, and his hands automatically clutched Godric's ankle so he wouldn't try to reach back.

"Please Father, please stop!"

When the swats kept coming, Eric yelled, "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry for everything!"

"As I would hope you'd be," Godric maneuvered Eric so that his torso curved over his one thigh and he locked both kicking legs down, trapping them under one of his own, stretching out Eric's sit spots, the tenderest patch of flesh.

With Eric's upper body cradled with his free arm, Godric seared the exposed area with a round of unforgiving smacks from the paddle.

"Aaaahhh!"

Eric's reaction to the paddle on his sit spots was a high pitched, full volume scream, given without any restraint or thought.

His fingers dug into Godirc's ankles, his whole body twitched with each smack, his lungs sucked in unnecessary air to scream again, and his mind was consumed with the unbearable shame of knowing he deserved every smack.

"You will never, ever behave so childishly and dangerous again Eric or I swear you will face ten times worse punishment," each word was followed by a strong whack from the paddle, Godric knowing his son would heal in a short amount of time so he wasn't worried about bruising or scaring him, but right now the young vampire was in absolute agony.

"I won't! I swear I woooooon't!" Eric yelled, sincerely meaning it.

When Eric's body finally went slack, totally spent, under the crushing weight of his severe punishment so did Godric's wrist.

He felt tired but not physically really; in one night he'd given his beloved the hardest spanking of his eight hundred plus years and realized that he was going to go have to set him free to live on his own.

He didn't want to spank him any longer; he didn't want to punish, scold, or hear his son crying out to him so desperately and pitifully. Godric just wanted, needed, to hold him.

Eyes hued by unshed tears of blood Godric gathered Eric up to cradle him against his neck and shoulder.

He ran his fingers down through the hair on the back of the young vampire's head, whispering hushed sounds of love and comfort to him in Swedish, rocking Eric slowly.

Grabbing a fist full of Godric's shirt in each hand, Eric held on tight, and cried harder than he had in years.

It took several minutes for the throbbing pain to dull down to a tolerable level, but deep inside his soul he felt better than he had since leaving for the party. Godric's gentle hands and soft-spoken words gave him solace.

Godric nuzzled and kissed the soft skin along one side of Eric's neck; silently he stood with one arm under Eric's knees and the other supporting his back and head. He carried him into his bedroom.

With great reluctance Godric forced himself to put Eric down so that he could bring him a pair of britches to put on. Every touch and caress from his hands and fingers were full of care and love.

It was part of the ritual that had gone on for so long, but this would be the last time, at least for a while, and he was not going to cut any corners in showering his boy with affection.

Sitting down then on the bed once the short pants had been slipped on Godric took Eric back into his arms, "Do not ever make me spank you so again beloved.." he chided Eric softly, kissing his forehead.

Feeling much more secure and forgiven with clothes on his lower half, Eric wrapped his arms around Godric's chest in a hug.

He whispered, "I promise I won't, Father. I hate it when you're disappointed and angry with me."

"As do I," Godric wholeheartedly agreed, "But I am not now," he made sure to point out, "You have been sufficiently punished and I have forgiven you for it all. I only want you safe.."

He gathered Eric in even closer, "I want you happy."

Eric tensed slightly when Godric told him he was forgiven for all of it. His conscious always worked overtime after he'd been punished, and he needed to confess to everything before he would feel truly forgiven.

"I… I may have left something out about tonight."

Godric looked warily at Eric, his eyes brighter; he almost feared asking 'what?', for if he didn't ask then he wouldn't know and if he didn't know then he would have nothing to deal with Eric about.

"What about..?" was his careful response.

Eric prefaced his confession with, "I'm positive that I've been sufficiently punished, honestly I have, but… when I left for the party I… I only wanted to go so I could prove you wrong about the people we sent away."

"Are you saying what I believe you are saying Eric? That you were intending to hunt them down, alone, just to prove me wrong..?"

"No, no, no. Not hunt them down… I had no intention of confronting them or having any contact with them. I just… I just wanted to see them at the party so I could…" He looked down at his lap, hoping it didn't sound as childish to Godric's ears as it did to his own. "…come home and tell you that you'd been wrong."

With Eric looking down Godric looked up, his lips starting to twitch. His chest began to move with inward, helpless, laughter, shaking his head, "Oh my beloved.."

"I am sorry," Eric offered, hoping that would be enough. "And I never even saw them, because Pam distracted me."

"Not sure whether I should be grateful or not about that just yet," Godric, having composed himself again, raised Eric's chin, "What has always been one of my rules Eric?"

Eric gave Godric his best repentant expression and said, "No lying?"

He rushed to add, "It wasn't exactly lying. I did want to go to the party. I just may have misled you about the reasons behind my wanting to go."

One eyebrow was slowly on its way up until it was firmly perched up high on Godric's brow once Eric was done speaking, "So you are saying it was a lie of omission then? Since you did not directly lie to me but intended to instead mislead me about why you wanted to go."

"Uh…" Eric didn't like the look of that eyebrow at all.

He scowled, "No. It was an outright lie, specifically because I misled you."

"Correct; and what happens when you lie to me Eric Northman?" Godric asked firmly.

"You spank me. Which you already did, quite thoroughly."

"Which you have already begun to heal from, and you know if you'd told me the truth, all of it, you'd have gotten more from me then."

Godric stood Eric up from his lap and turned him to face the open doorway of the bedroom, "Go out there, get the paddle and bring it back to me."

Pouting, Eric went to get it, and tried to console himself with thoughts of `misplacing' it when they left this house.

Instead of walking straight in, he hovered in the doorway of his bedroom.

"Are you sure you want the paddle Father? I confessed, and I'm sorry, and I was already spanked once tonight, and I'm not all the way healed yet."

"I doubt I would have sent you to fetch it for me if I was not sure I wanted it Eric. And yes you confessed because you can never lie to me for very long; and I am sure you are sorry and soon you will be sorrier; and I am well aware I spanked you already but you still just decided to tell me the whole truth now; and you are healed enough."

Godric stood up and jabbed his left index finger down at the floor directly in front of him sternly.

Eric's shoulders slumped, and he slowly walked over to the spot Godric had indicated.

He held the paddle out to Godric and grumbled, "It was only a small lie."

Godric's eyes narrowed into a sliver of a squint, "Only a small lie..?"

Before Eric could even blink Godric had him down across his knee, bare bottom yet again.

"Clearly I haven't spanked you long enough yet if you can show such defiance still, despite all that you have done this night."

The old vampire reignited the fire in Eric's healing but still tender cheeks with his hand first, the rock solid palm cracking against his son's bottom furiously.

Getting spanked on skin that was already slightly sore, made Eric wail, "Ah! I wasn't trying to be defiant! I brought you the paddle!"

"Do you think it shows me you are truly sorry when you claim you only told me a 'small' lie Eric?"

Godric smacked wherever his son tried to squirm off to, "Any lie you tell me is unacceptable, they do not come in sizes; when you lie to me it gives me reason to question and doubt what you tell me, is that what you want? For me to never believe you and distrust your word?"

"Noooo!"

Eric hadn't lied to his Maker for years, and now he clearly remembered why.

His struggles to get away from the punishing hand weren't getting him anywhere, and the disgrace he felt at Godric's words made him yell, "You're right! Owww! There are no small… Ah! …lies! It won't happen again! Father Pleeeease! I swear it won't!"

Without losing balance with Eric squalling over his knee Godric got a firm grip on the paddle. Both glowing globes were the perfect targets, arched up and nicely presented over his lap.

Over his fading hand prints that decorated Eric's bottom Godric cracked the paddle, being very deliberate about where it landed and how hard.

"Aaaooowww!"

Eric yelled, at the first swat. "I'm soooooory!"

His emotions were in high gear before this spanking started, and he was physically tired, so within a few swats, he was weeping and hanging limply over Godric's lap.

Godric let go of the paddle and grabbed up his son, moving Eric's head to rest against his shoulder, cuddling and cradling the young vampire who meant all to him.

He was in no rush for Eric to calm himself or to put him down and he didn't care his shirt was being stained with blood tears, all that mattered to him was Eric knowing and believing he was safe; knowing that he had not lost anything tonight, including Godric's trust.

It has been shaken for sure but not broken.

Eric felt as though he'd been crying all night. He must have lost half of the blood that he'd swallowed that night through his tears. And yet he couldn't seem to stop.

He buried his face in Godric's shirt and kept sobbing for several minutes. When he was able, he mumbled, "I'm sorry. So sorry, Father."

"I know beloved," Godric murmured; he then felt the tremors rushing through his son's shivering body and he gently pushed Eric back and away from his current hiding place in the bloodied fabric.

Turning his left wrist up against his mouth, Godric's fangs extended and sank down into one of the primary veins carrying blood. Being so old and powerful the red fluid was especially rare and potent.

Supporting Eric completely in his weakened state with his right arm Godric held his bleeding wrist against his child's lips, "Drink my älskling.." he cooed to him in Swedish.

Surprised out of his crying by the offer, Eric looked Godric in the eye and saw love and forgiveness. The smell of Godric's blood made Eric's fangs drop.

He held the older man's arm in one hand and opened his mouth to drink, keeping eye contact the entire time. Within seconds his body was completely healed, and the bond they already shared became stronger, as if the rest of the world and the problems in it had disappeared.

Feeling satisfied after only a few swallows, Eric let go and said, "Thank you my Maker."

Godric felt a surge of connectivity while Eric was feeding and it made him smile, memories of the very first time the child had done so surfacing in his mind.

He sealed the wound first and then re-positioned them both on the bed; Godric stretched out and looked down at Eric who'd he tucked in beside him, curling the young vampire's body against his own with one hand slowly trailing his back and bottom.

"I do hope that made up for those awful spankings I had to give you," Godric said lightly Eric, his smile growing.

"I do appreciate the healing powers of your blood." Eric snuggled into Godric's embrace. "But, there's nothing to make up for. My behavior was clearly deserving"

After a few minutes of quiet, Eric tentatively asked, "What's to happen now Godric? What's to become of the Inn if we move away? Pam will wake hungry tomorrow night, and need to feed."

"There you and I both, wholeheartedly, agree," Godric responded to Eric's first statement with a firm nod.

A soft sigh escaped his lips at the duo of questions, "Well Matthew has shown himself to be quite the competent manager-I believe that we could easily allow him to take it over for us; I can tend to all of that. When Pam awakes you may take her out to hunt and feed to gain strength and after that the world is yours. If she agrees to stay with you, you are free to travel at will."

"I agree Matthew will do a good job for us. Will you leave tomorrow as well?"

Eric unconsciously grasped Godric closer.

Godric held Eric tighter, willing himself to remain focused on what he knew needed to happen and not what he wanted.

"I will stay behind to tend to the Inn and ensure Matthew has all that he needs. And then I shall set forth on a new adventure.."

Godric forced a tiny smile.

"Once Pam has fed, I'll bring her here to meet you before we leave town, and let you know where we'll be heading."

Eric pulled his head away from Godric's chest to look him in the eyes.

"Thank you for understanding and for letting me do this. I'll miss you terribly."

"I would appreciate that very much," was Godric's soft reply.

He stared into Eric's eyes, seeing both the man and boy his son was at the same time; both halves were so beautiful and precious to him, and it was hard to know that in releasing one he would also lose the other.

"I always knew this day would come," Godric started with half a smile, "Not that I wished to put it off as long as possible, but I cannot keep you cooped up with me forever; that is not why I made you. I only want you happy."

Godric kissed directly above Eric's nose, his lips settling against the space between his eyes, "I will miss you very much as well beloved; but it is not a goodbye that we will give one another, but only farewell for now."

Feeling the pull of the crescent moon in the night's sky while it moved overhead, Godric sank down and back on the bed, encouraging Eric to rest his head once again in the same spot and relax as well, "It shall be morning soon and you will need your rest to tend to the girl."

Eric relaxed against Godric, closed his eyes, and inhaled his scent.

Thinking that this would be the last time they would sleep in the same bed for years to come, he wanted to stay awake to make the moment last, but fell asleep within seconds, and started dreaming of Pam.

His body ached for rest, for sleep, but Godric ignored the pain; his eyes couldn't look away from Eric, eight hundred plus years of memories scrolled like moving pictures in his mind, beginning with the very first time he'd seen the Swedish warrior in battle.

It would be lonely he knew, to be on his again after so long but he'd have his memories; he'd have the knowledge that he would see his son again, soon.

Finally growing too weary to stubbornly keep awake, Godric's eyes shut and he joined Eric in sleep.


End file.
